The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1887-04-02
A TRUE TRIBUTE.

Ncus AOIu " olSolcy luun OlOeco
a sketch of the qualities and char
aeter Of Gen. r. E. Lee; which
was recently published in MeMil-
lan's Magazine and has been ex-
tensively quoted from and com.
mented upon:
"Gen. Lee survived the destruc.
ton of the Confedracy for five
years, when, at the age Of sixty
three, and surrounded by bis fami.
", life ebbed slowly from him.
Where else in history is g great
man to be found whose whole life
was one such blameless record OF
duty nobly done 1t was consist.
ent in all its parts, complete IN all
its relations. The most perfect
gentleman of a State long celebra.
ted for its chiyalry, he was just.
gentle and generous. and child.
like in the simplicity of his charac-
ter. Never elated with success,
he bore reverse, and at last CON-
plete overthrow, with dignlfed re-
signation. Throughout this long
and cruel struggle his was all the
responsibility, but not the power
that should have accompanied it.
The fierce light which beats up
on the throne is as that Of rush
light in comparison with the elec.
trio glare which our newspapers
now focus upon the public man in
Lees position. His character has
been subjected to that ordeal, and
who can point to any spot upon i'll
His clear, sound judgment, per-
sonal courage, untiring activity,
genius for war, and absolute devo.
tion to his State, mark him out as
n public man, as patriot to be
forever remembered by all Ameri.
cans. His amiabllity Of DISPOSE
tion, deep sympathy with those in
PAIN or sorrow, his love for chill
dren, nice sense Of personal hon
or and general courtesy endeared
him to all his friends. 7 shall ney
or forget his sweet, winning smile
nor his clear, honest syes, thai
seemed to look into your hear
whilst they searched your brain
l have met many of the great mel
of my time, but Lee alone impress
ed me with the feeling that l wal
In the presence OF a man who wal
cast In q grander mold, and made
of different and of finer metal thar
sll other men. He Is stamped up
on my memory as a being apar
and superior to all others in ever.
way "a man with whom none
ever knew, and very few Of whom
l hsvo road, are worthy to b'
classad. I have met but two mel
who realize my ideas of what {
true hero should be: My friend
Charles Gordon was one, Gen
Lee was the other.
Tho following lines seem writ
ten for him:
''who 10 tho honest mani
Hs who coth still sad strongly rssd pursus
Ts Cod, his soustry and hlmssf nest true
who whee he osmss to deal
With sieh folk. women. those whom passiosl
sway,
Allows for this, and keeps his osssmn
way"
| When oil the angry feelings
reused by secession nre buried
with those which existed when the
Declaration of Independence was
written, when Americans can re-
view the history of their last great
rebellion with calm impartiality, /
I
believe all will admit that Gen.
Lee lowered far above all men on
either side In that struggle F; l be.
lieve ho will be regarded not only
"a the most prominent figure oil
the Oonfedracy, but ss the great
American of the Nineteenth cen.
tury, whose statue is worthy to
stand on an equal pedestal with
that of Washington, and whose
memory 10 equally worthy to be
enshrinod In tho hearts Of oil his
countrymen.n
|